The average salary for a private detective in the United States is around $50,510 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $50,510.
Wages typically start from $30,390 and go up to $83,951.
17% below national average Updated in 2019
Private detective earnings by seniority
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$40.36 per hour
$83,951 per year
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$31.73 per hour
$65,994 per year
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$24.28 per hour
$50,510 per year
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$18.59 per hour
$38,659 per year
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$14.61 per hour
$30,390 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Private detective salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $69,300 |
| District of Columbia | $68,940 |
| Alaska | $67,240 |
| California | $65,420 |
| Virginia | $65,170 |
| New Jersey | $62,060 |
| Illinois | $60,630 |
| New York | $59,780 |
| Idaho | $57,420 |
| Connecticut | $57,300 |
| Maryland | $56,580 |
| Rhode Island | $54,930 |
| Iowa | $54,360 |
| Massachusetts | $54,340 |
| New Mexico | $53,750 |
| Missouri | $53,010 |
| Oregon | $52,260 |
| Arizona | $52,060 |
| North Carolina | $51,370 |
| Hawaii | $51,200 |
| Colorado | $50,740 |
| Michigan | $50,620 |
| South Carolina | $50,440 |
| Alabama | $49,280 |
| New Hampshire | $48,930 |
| Washington | $48,920 |
| Kansas | $48,380 |
| Indiana | $48,250 |
| Georgia | $47,500 |
| Arkansas | $47,280 |
| Texas | $46,720 |
| Mississippi | $46,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,950 |
| Delaware | $45,380 |
| Kentucky | $45,000 |
| Tennessee | $44,680 |
| Louisiana | $44,490 |
| Wisconsin | $42,510 |
| Montana | $42,260 |
| West Virginia | $41,130 |
| Minnesota | $40,540 |
| Utah | $38,510 |
| Ohio | $38,080 |
| Oklahoma | $37,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,890 |
| Florida | $36,570 |
| South Dakota | $35,820 |
How do private detective salaries compare to similar careers?
Private detectives earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than probation officers but more than wedding planners.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Probation officer salary | $55K |
| Clergy salary | $51K |
| Real estate agent salary | $49K |
| Firefighter salary | $49K |
| Social worker salary | $49K |
| Private detective salary | $51K |
| Embalmer salary | $48K |
| Substance abuse social worker salary | $47K |
| Executive assistant salary | $48K |
| Wedding planner salary | $46K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)